Harold E Middleton 7th battalion. Help. WW2,

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Harold E Middleton 7th battalion. Help. WW2,

Postby Middleton » Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:59 pm

Hi I'm trying to get some more information on my grandfather Harold E Middleton. I know he served in Burma as I have his medals he also has the 39-45 star and the other 2 war medals. I have know idea what his regimental number was, from the pictures I have of him he has got vii battalion flag in the photograph, wearing the Worcestershire regiment cap badge, also on another picture he is wearing a different cap badge, it looks like a bugle at the bottom a d some crown or rose at the top. Any information would be very much appreciated. Thanks there is also a black patch with cross keys on there, also included in the picture was my great grandad middletons great war medals, their is a red shield with a black stripe going through it with a sword pointing downwards and the number xiv on there, could this mean my great grandad was in the 14th Worcestershire regiment and probably fought in the battle of pachendale????
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Re: Harold E Middleton 7th battalion. Help. WW2,

Postby scully » Sat Jul 07, 2012 10:26 am

Hi,

The cap badge with the bugle at the bottom and crown at the top is either the Durham Light infantry or Somerset Light Infantry or the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. The difference between the three is are as follows:

Durham Light infantry - Simply had a bugle at the bottom and crown at the top with the letters "DLI" just above the bugle.

Somerset Light Infantry has a scroll with the word "JELLALABAD" also above the bugle are the letters PA.

Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry cap badge has scroll under the crown with the word "CORNWALL".

I would imagine the badge that you see on your photo is the one from the Durham Light Infantry as they were in the 6th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division in Burma in WW2.

The 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment was also in the 2nd Infantry Division in Burma but they were in the 5th Infantry Brigade.

You can google these cap badges on the internet to see pictures of them to compare with your photo.

The black patch with cross keys is that of the 2nd Infantry Division which was part of the British Army in Burma in WW2. The 2nd Infantry Division's emblem was chosen in 1940 by its commander, Major-General H.C. Lloyd, who had previously commanded a Guards Brigade which had a single key for its badge. The crossed keys are the emblem of the Archbishop of York. The 2nd Infantry Division was part of the 14th Army.

The red shield with a black stripe going through it with a sword pointing downwards and the number XIV is the 14th Army patch badge. The 14th Army was formed in India in October 1943, under GHQ Dehli, and fought in Burma until withdrawn for the invasion of Malaya and replaced in Burma by Twelfth Army. The design of the 14th Army badge was submitted anonymously in a competition open to all ranks for the choice of badge - when it was chosen, it was discovered that the artist was none other than the Army Commander, General Sir William Slim.

Hope the above is of some help.

Regards,

Louis (webmaster)
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